Canto 1&2

Canto 1
1. "in the day of the false gods who lied" (pg. 7). Virgil is suggesting that the gods in the time of the Roman Empire weren't actually gods, but demons. They tricked people into worshiping them and thinking that they were doing the right thing, when they were only condemning themselves to a life in Hell.
2. "Saint Peter's gate, and the multitude of woes" (pg. 11). It is interesting that Dante chooses to connect the gate of Heaven with sorrow. This might suggest at his doubt in the judgement that comes when you reach the gate. He is unsure of what his feelings would be when he approaches the gate. The woe that he speaks about could be speaking of the tortured souls that he has not met yet, but he knows exist. He doesn't have a good enough understanding yet of the way God's acceptance works.
Canto 2
1."what cause, whose favor, could send me forth on such a voyage" (pg. 15). This is the first hint we see of Dante feeling unsure of his worthiness to travel through Hell. The only accounts he knows of people who have made it in and back out were the great heroes like Aeneas. He thinks is glad to have Virgil as his guide and believes that this will help to make him more worthy of completing the journey that all the great heroes did.
2. "Why be a coward rather than bolder, freer" (pg. 21). The holy lady is telling Dante that he shouldn't be afraid when he goes through Hell because he has the help of Virgil and the 3 Holy ladies who are watching from Heaven. The only way he will be able to make it through just like the heroes from ancient times did is if he trusts his guide. He can't be fearful of the things that he sees and hears, or that will take his focus off of the goal of just passing through Hell and his soul could get trapped.